The Maplewood-based manufacturer, famous for products like Post-It Notes and Scotch tape, has a brand value of nearly $3.59 billion, according to the study. It ranked higher than well-known brands like Ferrari, Heineken, Armani, Starbucks and Harley-Davidson.

Atlanta-based beverage giant The Coca-Cola Co. topped the list for the 11th consecutive year, followed by IBM and Microsoft.

3M (NYSE: MMM) was the only Minnesota-based company on this year's list, although a number of companies with strong local ties also made the cut, including Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM (No. 2), which has significant operations in Rochester; New York-based Thomson Reuters (No. 41), whose Thomson Reuters Legal division is based in Eagan; and German financial services company Allianz (No. 67), whose Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America subsidiary is based in Golden Valley.

The criteria for the ranking requires that the brand is "truly global," with at least 30 percent of revenue coming from outside of the company's home country and no more than 50 percent of revenue coming from any one continent. Companies must have a presence on at least three major continents, and there must be substantial, public data available regarding the brand's financial performance.

New York-based Interbrand is a global brand consultancy with 40 offices in 25 countries.